Circle-swing.



R. W. GLENN.

ClRCLE SWING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1915.

1,174,407. Patnted Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR @Ma/.%%W gWK Y I ww- THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

R. W. GLENN.

CIRCLE SWING.

Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 JNVENTOR WITNESSES:

To all whom it may concern:

RALPH W. GLENN, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

omens-swine.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 13,031.

Be it known that I, RALPH W. GLENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Circle-Swings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus and particularly to a merry-goround and has for itsobject to furnish a device of this nature which will afford a healthful exercise for the occupants and at the same time provide a variety of thrilling amusements. This object I accomplish by the provision of a substantial, gravity-op- I erated, rotative swing and exerciser whereby, through the efforts of the occupants, the chairs of the swings are elevated and the force of gravity lowers the chairs and reacts on the apparatus to rotate a carrier.

' One form which my invention may assume isexemplified in the following descrip tion and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail section and plan of a wheel and lock. Fig. 3 is a detail section-of the gear head.

2 indicates a central fixed mast with a cap bearing 3 on which is turnably supported a hub 4, from which project radial arms 5. Mounted on the bearing 3, above the spoke arms, is a set of independent pulley drums 6, one for each arm, and turnable in one direction only on the hub. Each drum carries a pawl 7 locking in one direction with a respective ratchet wheel '8 fast on the bearing 3. To each drum 6 is attached the bight of a cable, chain, rope, or suitable element 9, led outwardly over the respective arm, and the ends of which depend through guide sheaves 10 at the end of the arm. To one of the cable or rope ends is attached a seat or chair 11 while the other end hangsfreely within reach of an occupant of the chair. The outer ends of the carrier arms 5 are disposed or bent so that the operating rope on each passes from the guide sheaves 10in the plane of and to its respective drum-6. The carrying capacity of the apparatus is greatly increased and the pleasure is enhanced by suspending from each arm 6 an inner swing 12.

In operation. the occupant of a chair pulls down on the adjacent free end of the rope 9 attached to his chair and this rotates the drum 6 and Winds up the rope stretch to which the chair is attached, thus elevating the chair. The winding movement is free on the hub, but the reverse or unwinding movement is checked by the ratchet and pawl 7--8 by which the weight of the occupant 111 the chair is transmitted to the bearing 8. lVhen the rope is wound upon the drum and elevates the chair, the leverage of the drum, under the pull of the loaded cable, locks the pawl and ratchet, and the unwinding tendency of the tangential rope passing outwardly over sheaves 10 reacts on the ro-,

tative arm and hub to rotate the entire carrier until the rope end, with the chairattached, is unwound to its fastening on the drum. While one loaded chair is descend mg and thus rotating the carrier other.

chairs are being elevated by the efforts of'occupants to pull down the free ends of the ropes. The descent of the chair is limited by a stop collar 13, on its rope, which is end of each arm 5. This guide also prevents the rope from jumping off the ,pulley 10.

While I have shown and described but adapted to engage a rope guide 14: on the one form of my device, it is to be understood,-

nevertheless, that it is susceptible of modification and. therefore, many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spiritrof my invention as disclosed in the appended 7 claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. A swing comprising in combination a suitable central support, a seriesof radiating arms turned about the support and carrying chairs, means by which the occupant of a chair may pull himself and the chair up to cause both to approach the supporting;

and flexible suspension elements, the bight of each of which is attached to a respective drum, each of said elements suspending from one of its ends a chair or seat and its other end hanging free adjacent to the seat.

3. In an amusement apparatus, a central stationary support with a cap forming a bearing, a carrier rotative on said cap and having a plurality of radial arms, a set of horizontal drums, one for each arm, mounted for rotation in one direction on said cap, and flexible suspension elements, the bight of each of which is attached to a respective drum, each of said elements suspending from one of its ends a chair or seat and its other end hanging free adjacent to the seat and whereby the occupant of a chair may, by pulling the loose end, turn its drum and elevate the chair.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a central stationary support with a cap forming a bearing, a carrier rotative on said cap and having a plurality of radial arms, a set of horizontal drums, one for each arm, mounted for rotation in one direction on said cap, and flexible suspension elements, the bight of each of which is attached to a respective drum, each of said elements suspending from one of its ends a chair or seat and its other 'end hanging free adjacent to the seat and whereby the occupant of a chair may, by pulling the loose end, turn its drum and elevate the chair, the load of the weighted chair operating to rotate the carrier when imposed upon non-reversing drum.

5. A gravity rotated swing comprising a stationary bearing, a spolred horizontal wheel turnable on the bearing, guide sheaves in the end of each spoke of the wheel, a rope rove through the sheaves and with ends depending therefrom, a seat attached to one end of each rope, a set of drums rotative in one direction on said bearing, one for each arm and to which the bight of the rope is attached, the loose end of each rope being operative, when pulled down, to turn its respective drum to wind up the rope and elevate its chair, and means for locking the drums against reverse movement, the Weighted elevated chairs being operative by gravity to turn said wheel when the respective drums are locked.

6. A gravity rotated swing comprising a stationary bearing, a spoked horizontal Wheel turnable on the bearing, guide sheaves in the end of each spoke of the wheel, a rope rove through the sheaves and with ends de pending therefrom, a seat attached to one end of each rope, a set of drums rotative in one direction on said bearing, one for each arm and to which the bight of the rope is attached, the loose end of each rope being operative, when pulled down, to turn its respective drum to Wind up the rope and elevate Lits-ehair, and means for ilo'ekingthe drums against reverse movement, the weighted elevated chairs being operative by 'avity to turn said wheel. when the respective drums are locked, said means including pawl and ratchet mechanism.

7. In a merry-go-round, a stationary support, a rotative carrier mounted thereon, a plurality of chairs, means for suspending the chairs from and on the carrier and means operated by the occupants of said chairs for raising the same whereby, when they descend, the carrier is rotated.

8. In a merry-go-round, a stationary support, a rotative carrier mounted thereon, a plurality of chairs, means for movably suspending the chairs in elevated position on the carrier, and means whereby the chairs when descending are operative to rotate the carrier, said means permitting the chairs to remain in lowered position while the carrier continues to operate.

9. In a merry-go-round, a stationary support, a rotative carrier mounted thereon, a plurality of chairs, and means for suspending and elevating the chairs from and on the carrier and whereby the chairs when descending are operative to rotate the carrier, said means including drums turnable in one direction only on the support.

10. In a merry-go-round, a stationary support, a rotative carrier mounted thereon, a plurality of chairs, and means for suspending and elevating the chairs from and on the carrier and whereby the chairs when descending are operative to rotate the carrier, said means including drums turnable in one direction only on the support, the elevating means comprising ropes attached to said drums and whereby they are turned on the support to wind up the respective rope.

11. In an amusement apparatus, a pivotal member, a rotative carrier moving in a fixed orbit, a plurality of seats supported by said carrier, means operated by the gravitative influence of the occupants of said seats for rotating said carrier about its pivot, and means for restoring the potential of said operating means.

12. In an amusement apparatus, a pivotal member, a rotative carrier moving in a fixed orbit, a plurality of seats supported by said carrier, means operated by the combined gravity and centrifugal forces of the whirling occupants for actuating said carrier, and means for restoring the potential of said operating means.

13. In an amusement apparatus, a pivotal member, a rotative carrier moving in a fixed orbit, a plurality of seats supported by said carrier, means operable by the gravitative weight of the occupants of said seats for rotating said carrier about its pivot, and means manually operable by the occupants of'eachof said seats for restoringthe potential of-their individual Weight;

14. In an amusement apparatus, a pivotal member, a rotative carrier moving in a fixed orbit, a plurality of seats suspended from said carrier and movable outwardly therefrom, means operated by the gravitative weight of the occupants of said seats to rotate said carrier and permit the seats to move downwardly and outwardly relative to said carrier, and means operated manually by said occupants to restore said seats to 10 potential position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

V RALPH W. GLENN, Witnesses: WILLIAM K. GUTzKoW, S. CA PBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

